Aircraft wheels assemblies often comprise heat shields located between the wheel and the brake heatsink disks. As the heat shield rotates with the wheel, it may make contact with the wheel due to centrifugal forces. At times, when contact occurs, it causes fretting of the wheel which may lead to an early failure. Therefore, preventing contact is usually desirable. Preventing contact between the wheel and heat shield also prevents heat transfer from the heat shield to the wheel. Typically, the method of preventing contact has been to use heat shield spacers (“bumpers”) comprising a rubber material. Due to exposure to high temperatures in service, the rubber spacers may become brittle over time and burn off the heat shields, leaving the wheel unprotected from fretting until the next overhaul.